The first episode, and Kermit already needs a freaking drink.
Juliet Prowse guest stars. Meanwhile, Kermit is strong-armed into letting Scooter perform "Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Dog" sketch, conceived by Scooter's Uncle-Who-Owns-The-Theater and starring Muppy, the Uncle's favorite pet.
Songs and Sketches
- "Mah Na Mah Na", performed by the Snowths and Mahna Mahna.
- Gonzo's act: Gonzo pushes the boundaries of art and good taste by eating a tire to the "Flight of the Bumblebee".
- "Solace" Juliet Prowse dances to the piano composition alongside green gazelles.
- At The Dance
- UK Spot: Rowlf performs the little-known classic, "You and I and George", and explains the background on this number.
- Talk Spot: Juliet compliments Kermit by calling him the Robert Redford of frogs.
- Cowboy Time: Fozzie plays a desperado named "Kid Fozzie", who attempts to stick up a saloon with vegetables.
- Blackout: Zoot notices something odd about Juliet's feather boa.
- "Simon Smith And his Amazing Dancing Bear": With Muppy refusing to perform, Fozzie is roped into helping Scooter do the number.
- Muppet Glee Club: After some confusion, the Glee Club, conducted by Kermit, sing "Temptation".
This episode has examples of
- Closest Thing We Got: Muppy refuses to perform "Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Dog" when his increasingly outrageous demands aren't met, so Kermit forces Fozzie into the role, changing the number to "Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear".
- Early-Installment Weirdness: This episode has this in spades.
- As with several season one episodes, Richard Hunt and Frank Oz trade off playing Miss Piggy. The weirdest part is during "Temptation" when Piggy is puppeteered and spoken by Oz, but sung by Hunt.
- This episode includes elements from the original pilot version (which was reworked into this episode), including the Cowboy Sketch in which the Fozzie puppet looks completely different and even has a mechanism to operate his cheeks to make him frown. Also, Fozzie's voice is much deeper. A scene was added in this version explaining that Fozzie was trying to do an imitation of John Wayne.
- Also carried over from the pilot version are some Statler and Waldorf scenes in which the two speak much slower, like in Sex and Violence. The refilmed segments in the aired version show shades of their later boisterous personality.
- This is only one of two episodes where the guest star receives a Muppet likeness as a parting gift.note
- This is one of a handful of times the chickens are able to actually talk rather than simply clucking.
- Establishing Character Moment: "Temptation" is a good one for Miss Piggy, particularly in regards to her relationship with Kermit. The solo brings our her inner prima donna and she bears down upon Kermit with all the subtlety of an avalanche. His visible gulping and Aside Glance really sells it.
- Hates Being Called Cute: Muppy, who thinks of himself as a killer, doesn't take to Kermit's "cutest little fellow around" comment.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: The first thing we see Kermit doing backstage is sipping a glass of milk through a straw. When he looks up at the camera, he says, "Um, think about this, friends," in a sly reference to the fact that he's a puppet and can't possibly do things like that.
- Literal-Minded: After a scene in which Juliet Prowse dances and then artfully fades out of view:Waldorf: Hey, she just vanished! How did she do that?
Statler: Probably like this! [takes a deep breath and fades out]
Waldorf: Yep, that's probably how she did it! - Mythology Gag: The very first sketch ever seen on The Muppet Show is none other than the definitive "Mahna Mahna", which was first performed on Sesame Street before being reprised on such variety shows as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dick Cavett Show.
- Nice Character, Mean Actor: Muppy is set to do a sugary, sweet little dance as part of the Simon Smith number. Said dog also turns out to be a prima donna who demands star billing, his own dressing room, and that the show be changed to "The Muppy Show." Oh, and he also thinks of himself as a killer, biting Kermit and stealing his milk.
- This Banana is Armed: During the Cowboy Time sketch, Kid Fozzie attempts to hold up a saloon with loaded pickles, then a carrot knife, then an apple bomb.Fozzie: I'm a desperate bear, ready for desperate measures. [Whips out an apple with a burning stem.]
Rowlf: Oh, no!
Bartender: It's an apple!
Fozzie: Yes, and the fuse is lit. [Does Double Take] The fuse is lit?!
[He tosses the apple. BOOM! Once the smoke clears, Rowlf goes back to playing his piano.]
Rowlf: And that's how it was the day Kid Fozzie came into town.
- Waldorf: Well, what did you think?
Statler: Beats sitting home watching television.
Mahna Mahna: Mah na mah na!
